Method and apparatus for identifying a media path in a network

Abstract

Nodes in an Internet Protocol (IP) network receive probe packets configured to travel over particular IP media paths. The probe packets cause the network nodes to send media path reports to a logging system. The media path reports contain information identifying the different nodes in the media path. The logging system can reconstruct the network topology of a particular media path from the media path reports which can then be used for debugging purposes. In one embodiment the probe packets are Resource Reservation Setup Protocol (RSVP) packets configured for media path probing.

1. A method for identifying a media path in a packet switched network, comprising:
 receiving media path packets at an intermediate node located in the media path in-between a source of the media path packets and a destination for the media path packets, the media path packets configured as conventional media path reservation packets used for reserving resources along the media path and further configured to travel along the same media path as packets containing media; 
 identifying the media path packets configured as media path probe packets at the intermediate node; 
 sending a media path report distinct and separately from the media path probe packets directly from the intermediate node to a logging node located outside of the media path, the media path report identifying information about the media path; 
 automatically sending the media path report independently from any initiation from the logging node whenever one of the media path probe packets is received by the intermediate node and sending the media path report separately from other media path reports produced and sent from other nodes forming the media path; 
 monitoring the media path probe packet for a resource reservation indicator; 
 forwarding the media path probe packet toward a destination endpoint without conducting a resource reservation protocol when no resource reservation indicator is identified; and 
 conducting the resource reservation protocol before forwarding the media path probe packet toward a destination endpoint when the resource reservation indicator is identified. 
 
   
   
     2. The method according to  claim 1  including independently sending media path reports directly from multiple different intermediate nodes located along the media path in the packet switched network to the logging node while the multiple different intermediate nodes continue to forward the media path probe packet along the media path. 
   
   
     3. The method according to  claim 2  including sending the media path reports to the logging node at an address in the packet switched network that is not in the media path and is not a source or destination endpoint for the media path probe packets. 
   
   
     4. The method according to  claim 1  including using Resource Reservation Setup Protocol (RSVP) packets as the media path probe packets. 
   
   
     5. The method according to  claim 4  including identifying a predetermined value in a RSVP field to distinguish RSVP probe packets from other RSVP packets. 
   
   
     6. The method according to  claim 1  including inserting a source and destination address from the media path probe packet into the media path report to identify a media flow. 
   
   
     7. The method according to  claim 1  including inserting a Time To Live (TTL) value from the media path probe packet into the media path report. 
   
   
     8. The method according to  claim 1  including adding a Quality of Service (QoS) problem descriptor from the media path probe packet into the media path report, the QoS problem descriptor being inserted when the media probe packet is originated and before the media path probe packet is forwarded to the intermediate node. 
   
   
     9. A network processing device, comprising:
 a processor receiving a media path configuration packet including a reporting indicator, the processor on detecting the reporting indicator sending a message distinct from said configuration packet to a logging server to identify media path information for the media path configuration packet, 
 wherein the processor sends the message to the logging server at an Internet Protocol (IP) address that is not in a media path for the media path configuration packet and not the IP address of a network device originating the media path configuration packet and wherein the processor monitors the media path configuration packet for a media reservation request and conducts a Resource Reservation Setup Protocol (RSVP) prior to forwarding the media path configuration packet toward a destination endpoint when the media reservation request is detected and does not conduct a Resource Reservation Setup Protocol (RSVP) prior to forwarding the media path configuration packet toward a destination endpoint when the media reservation request is not detected. 
 
   
   
     10. The network processing device according to  claim 9  wherein the media path configuration packet is a Resource Reservation Setup Protocol (RSVP) probe packet and wherein the processor conducts any identified resource reservation protocol and inserts Quality of Service (QoS) problem descriptors from the RSVP probe packet into the message sent to the logging server. 
   
   
     11. The network processing device according to  claim 9  wherein the processor includes a source and destination address from the media path configuration packet in the message. 
   
   
     12. The network processing device according to  claim 9  wherein the processor includes an address in the message for a call server processing call signaling for a media path associated with the media path configuration packets. 
   
   
     13. The network processing device according to  claim 9  wherein the processor:
 automatically sends the message whenever one of the media path configuration packets with the reporting indication is received; and 
 sends the message independently from any initiation from the logging server and separately from other messages produced and sent from other nodes forming the media path. 
 
   
   
     14. The network processing device according to  claim 9  wherein the reporting indicator is a class object in a Resource Reservation Setup Protocol (RSVP) packet. 
   
   
     15. The network processing device according to  claim 14  wherein the processor inserts the media path information contained in the object field of the RSVP packet into the message sent to the logging server.